Quote:
Originally Posted by stripermatic
They catch fish.
They are swim consistent.
They more durable than most other custom wood plugs.
There production has remained pretty consistent over the years.
They are still a 2 man part time operation.
They only make one body style at a time.
They are perfectionists and refuse to put out inferior products.
This run of 6" surface swimmers should number about 5000.
More and more shops coastwide are looking to carry them so when a shop wants 1500 they may not get them all at once if at all.
When the shops do get them the owners and help often skim, cherry pick before offering what is left to shop regulars and eventually maybe to the public. These are generally presold or sold out within hours.
Up until about 4 years ago there were several shops that had a few pieces on their shelves. Now that they have become collectible
you wont see that unless they have a fat price tag.Several shops did not even display them and kept them in a box in the back room.
They have become "THE" plug amongst new plug collectors.
All these reasons have made them harder and harder to find.
I have no solutions except if you see them, buy as many as they allow you to, because you may not see that body style for a few years. Or like flaptail, make your own.
Ive been buying and fishing them for 15 years but it kills me to throw a plug worth $50 and have a bluefish chomp on it.
Since I do make my own plugs, I try to use those more, but some situations and conditions call for a particular Beachmaster.
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The consistency point is a junk excuse. I know it and you know it. In fact many of the Beachmaster plugs I have bought in the last few years have many defects on them that would not have passed muster a few years ago. Paint splatters, dings, dents. I know of his personal situation and hopefully it gets resolved quickly ( I hear it may have already) As of the moment thought they arte being thrown together and out the door as needed. Yes there are a bunch turned but they sit in boxes waiting for prime paint and sealer. Only one guy does that of the two, the other is a machine turning them out and drilling etc. His work is way ahead of the other. I did a lot to promote them over the years in various columms and articles in OTW which had an impact on thier popularity here in southeast mass and never recieved one plug in thanks. I didn't care as long as they were available. The current situation is totally f()cked up. Collectors think they are going to be worth huge money someday. Actually the designs are mostly copied from Pichney, Gibbs, Pond and Creek Chub.
The most desirable thing was that they were no frills and you could count on them to fish just out of the package and they could take a beating and caught fish. What good do those attributes serve if they just hang in a room on display? They were built for fisherman at first now they are built for collecting. It's a damm shame.